You have to have the right mentality when becoming your own boss. It is importantly to be prepared mentally in this sense, and also financially as well. Franchising is a very hands on business and if you are willing to work hard to grow your business, you may very well get the results you are looking for.

After years in the corporate world, Mr Edmund Lee decided that it was time to step out and start something of his own. As he considered his options, he realized that starting out fresh in the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry could be quite a challenge, especially for someone with no F&B background. As such, he turned to franchising as a way of starting his own F&B business, and with the assistance of Astreem Consulting, Mr Lee successfully started his own Don Your Personal Pie Club takeaway outlet in Vivocity in May 2011.

Rather than striking it out to start a brand new business concept, Mr Lee leveraged on the expertise of the Franchisor, Mr Don Lim to get his business moving. “Don helped me understand the dynamics of starting a F&B outlet, and to assess the feasibility of the business model and the location,” explains Mr Lee, “He also helped me in many other matters, including sourcing of equipment, training of my staff and planning the inventory.”

Today, Edmund’s shop has been in operation for only 6 months and the business has already been highly successful, both in terms of traffic and profitability. Edmund explains, “Initially, we faced some challenges in terms of hiring staff, operations and ordering. However we worked closely with the Franchisor to iron out issues in scheduling and deliveries and other operational matters. Today, our wastages are minimal and business is running smoothly”, elaborates Mr Lee on his experience thus far.

Today, less than a year from stepping out into the world of entrepreneurship, Mr Lee is looking to open up his second Don’s Pie franchise outlet. His advice for people looking to start their own franchise business? “You have to have the right mentality when becoming your own boss. It is importantly to be prepared mentally in this sense, and also financially as well. Franchising is a very hands on business and if you are willing to work hard to grow your business, you may very well get the results you are looking for.”He also added that it is important to make sure the efficiency level is maintained by adhering closely to the equipment standards required by the franchisors.

Don Your Personal Pie Club is seeking franchisees to grow its business in Singapore and Internationally. Interested parties should contact enquiries@astreem.com or call +65 6749 9233.